(ORDO NEWS) — The well-known Japanese electronics and media conglomerate Sony Group, said that once the company identifies the best applications for humanoid robots, it can quickly put them into production.
“Several companies around the world, including Sony, have accumulated enough technology to quickly produce them robots as soon as it becomes clear what application is promising,” Sony CTO Hiroaki Kitano told Reuters in an interview.
“We will invest in production only when such investments are necessary.
We see potential in humanoid robots, but we also believe that other forms of robots are important as well,” he added.
Sony has a long history in the development of electronics and robots. More than 20 years ago, Sony introduced a robotic dog named Aibo.
Over 150,000 units were sold between 1999 and 2006. In 2018, an improved version was released and around 20,000 units were sold in the first six months.
Sony isn’t the only company making claims in this area.
Honda Motor Company and Hyundai Motor Company have been working on humanoid robots for many years. Tesla CEO Elon Musk also unveiled a prototype of his Optimus humanoid robot in September 2022.
Tesla is considering deploying thousands of robots in its factories to eventually increase that number to millions worldwide.
Sony wants to get into the “Metaverse”
Hiroaki Kitano argues that Sony is well positioned to play a significant role in the metaverse, or immersive virtual worlds, thanks to its expertise in audiovisual technology and rich entertainment content, including music and video games.
At a press conference earlier, Kitano said that Sony will increase its research and development efforts.
He named sensing, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital virtual spaces as critical technology areas to support Sony’s economic growth.
“Sensors, artificial intelligence and virtual spaces interconnected with each other are the core of our technology and will be our great strength,” Kitano told reporters.
Sony’s image sensors are often used in smartphones and are becoming essential parts for cars as automakers work to reduce traffic accidents and shift to autonomous driving.
For this reason, Sony has a solid foundation for any planned humanoid robots that could start production at any moment. It will be interesting to see what comes out of their research and development labs in the future.
—
Online:
Contact us: [email protected]
Our Standards, Terms of Use: Standard Terms And Conditions.